FRANK D. BURKETT. - Frank D. Burkett is one of the extensive land owners of Sangamon county, having three farms, including one of one hundred and thirty acres, another of one hundred and three acres and a third of eighty acres, all of which are well improved. His home is situated on section 6, Gardner Township, and through almost a half century he has been a resident of Illinois, while since 1872 he has lived in Sangamon county. His birth occurred near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1852, a son of Louis Burkett, who was born in Germany near the city of Strassburg, and was there reared. He married Agnes Rapp, also a native of Germany, and on emigrating to America he took up his abode near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1853, when he came to Illinois and settled in Randolph. There he purchased land and improved a farm, upon which he reared his family. His last years, however, were spent in Sangamon county, his home being with his son Frank.
F. D. Burkett of this review was reared in Randolph county, and to the common school system of the locality he is indebted for the educational privileges that he enjoyed. He remained with his father until twenty-one years of age, when he came to Sangamon county and began working by the month as a farm hand, in which capacity he was employed for a year. He then rented land which he farmed for several years, after which he purchased one hundred and thirty acres on section 6, Gardner township, and taking up his abode thereon devoted his energies to the further cultivation and improvement of the place.
On the 17th of December, 1872, in Sangamon county, Mr. Burkett was married to Miss Rebecca Benzenhofer, who was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, and was brought to Sangamon county when a little maiden of seven summers, her father being John G. Benzenhofer, who located in Gardner township among its first settlers. Mrs. Burkett inherited two farms, one of one hundred and three acres, the other of eighty acres, both in Gardner township. Our subject continued his agricultural pursuits until 1892 and then removed to Salisbury, but still gives his attention to the supervising of his farming interests. He purchased residence property in Salisbury and from that point he conducts his business affairs.
Unto our subject and his wife have been born twelve children: H. F. Is married and is operating the home farm. J. L., a farmer of Salisbury township, is married and has one son, Dalton. W. C. Is married and lives in Salisbury. Edward C., a farmer, is married and lives in Gardner township. Fred N. And Anthony M. Are at home. Mary C. Is the wife of W. C. Shanahan of St. Louis. Rebecca is yet under the parental roof. Dora E. Is the wife of E. V. Gard, of Sangamon county. Rosa, Anna and Louisa M. Are still with their parents.
In his political affiliations Mr. Burkett has been an earnest Democrat since casting his first ballot for Samuel J. Tilden in 1876, and throughout the intervening period he has never wavered in his allegiance to the party but has voted for each of its presidential nominees. At local elections, however, where no issue is involved he votes independently. He has never been a politician in the sense of office seeker, although he served as postmaster of Salisbury under President Cleveland for nearly five years, while for six years he was a director of Gardner township. Thirty years have passed since his arrival in Sangamon county and during this time he has advanced to a position of prosperity, his energy and enterprise being manifest in his capable control of farming interest.